YOUTHFUL GENIUS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21937, 22 October 1934, Page 12

YOUTHFUL GENIUS

PHILIP HARGRAVE CONCERT MATURITY AND FINISH A NOTABLE PROGRAMME Expectations based 011 overseas reports were more than satisfied when the 12-years-old genius of tlio piano, Philip Hargrave, made his first New Zealand appearance in His Majesty's Theatre on Saturday night. Combining a youthful freshness and dexterity with an amazingly mature understanding aud interpretation, the young virtuoso charmed a large audienco from tho first number to tho last of a very full and varied programme. With his many encores, ho gave 17 items, many of them most exacting works, without score and unfalteringly. He was accorded a most enthusiastic reception, and at tho conclusion of tho concert the stage door was thronged with a larger crowd of admirers than has attended any visiting artist for some vcars, such was tho attraction of his personality. As soon as he had played the first few phrases of his opening number, Bach's Prelude and Fugue in C Sharp Minor, his hearers knew that a delightfid evening was assured:. His playing of Bach, with its clarity and sharp phrasing, brought out to the full the beauty of the interweaving melodies which form the great charm of the oldtimo polyphonic music. Pedalling was kept to a minimum fn his Bach numbers, and he gained his effects almost entirely with tho great versatility of his touch. The second Bach number was the Presto from tho Italian Concerto, an excerpt which shows Bach at his gayest. As encores he played a Gavotte by Hoffmann, and Levitzki's Waltz in A Major. The principal work of the evening was Beethoven's great "Moonlight Sonata," in C Sharp Minor, a work which never palls through repetition. Philip Hargrave gave to it a rendering of virtuoso standard, not only through the grace and delicacy of the immortal opening movement, which the sonata is named, but alsT> through the richness of tone and the emotional understanding of the fiery and tempestuous conclusion. At the end of the work, in spite of its arduous nature, he responded to the acclamation by giving an encore, Beethoven's "Ecossaise." . Two Schubert numbers comprised the next bracket. The Impromptu in B Flat, Op. 142, No. 3, was played with a very finished accentuation, which outlined brilliantly through all the variations the typically melodious theme, while the charming little Moment Musical No. 3, was given with lightness and grace. As encores the young pianist played Chopin's wellknown Waltz in D Flat and Brahms beautiful Waltz in A Flat. As a Chopiu exponent he was brilliant with his next bracket. Philip Hargrave was supported by the Australian baritone, Mr. J. Alexander Browne, who won keen applause for his artistically rendered selection of songs. . The visiting artists will give further recitals to-morrow night and on Thursday and Saturday.